I like American Music

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Do you like American music?
I like American music
Don’t you like American music, baby?…

… I like all kinds of music.

Well, actually not Swedish death metal. And not bro country – other than this brilliant tune:

I also like Kiwi music. Uh, not this kind:

But this kind:

That’s Jonathan, Ben, Liz, and Tristan of the New Zealand band The Beths. They’re fantastic, and so fun live. Which is why I’m super-pumped to see them with Spoon and Squirrel Flower tomorrow at Ovation in Newport.

If you’re in town, you should be there too! But you’re probably in D.C. at the the Great American ~~Pork Festival~~ State Fair. Looks like a sold-out rager:

I heard they were out of both ice cream and Vanilla Ice. But I’m sure they have plenty of deep fried algae on a stick!

Here’s hoping you’ll be back in time for the July gigs – let’s take a lookie-lou at the listy-list.

The first day of the July is also the first Wednesday of the month, which means it’s Ween Wednesday at the Columbia in the East End. 7-9 p.m. BYOB.

Oh, and Noah Kahan is playing a sold-out gig at Great American Ball Park.

On Thursday:

Noah Wotherspoon plays the “Rockin’ the Roebling” freebie on the lawn by the Cincinnati Lager House (formerly Moerlein)
Ernie Johnson from Detroit plays a freebie at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
The Summit, Electric Indigo and Hey Dreamer play Southgate

Friday:

River Shook (who used to go by the name Sarah Shook) plays Southgate
The Funky Ducks play MOTR with Dilly & the Doves and Fish and Wildlife Service (a John Ruthven triple bill!)
Ludlow Garage has the Artimus Pyle Band “honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd” (if they really wanted to honor that band, they’d give it a rest)

On Saturday, we celebrate 250 years of independence.

And what better way to honor America and celebrate the Spirit of (19)76 than to exercise our right* to see a KISS tribute band (Mr. Speed) for free at RiversEdge in a city named after a hit musical (Hamilton)!

*2nd amendment original text: A well regulated KISS Army, being necessary to the rocking of the hottest band in the land, the right of the people to keep and bear love guns shall not be infringed.

Keep rockin’ the 250th, ‘merica! Here’s hoping we make it to 251 years. And here’s hoping you make it to July 5 with all your fingers intact.

The fittingly named American Aquarium wraps up a big ol’ USA weekend at Ludlow Garage on Sunday, July 5.

On Tuesday, July 7, Buju Banton & Stephen Marley bring their Roots and Rhymes Tour to the old Annie’s.

Shows on Wednesday, July 8:

Jack Johnson with Hermanos Guitierrez at Riverbend
TyeDye plays Arnold’s (6-8p)
Toast (the best of Bread) at Ludlow Garage

(Why doesn’t anyone eat toast that has an image of Jesus on it? I’ll bet it tastes divine!… I’ll see myself out.)

Hey, hey, he’s the only surviving Monkee – Mickey Dolenz plays the Fraze on Thursday July 9. Other shows that evening include these freebies:

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears at the Levitt
The Newbees at Behringer-Crawford Museum
RiversEdge has Lamont Landers, plus Ernie Johnson from Detroit.

Personally, we prefer 70s TV Lamont.

But that Lamont always got upstaged by Fred.

There are tons o’ shows on Friday July 10:

Bob Dylan plays the PNC Pavilion with Lucinda Williams and the John Doe Folk Trio
Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ with Laid Back Country Picker at Ludlow Garage
Steep Canyon Rangers play a freebie at the Levitt in Dayton
The Chris Comer Trio plays Juniper’s Gin Bar in Covington (8-11pm)
In the Pines headlines the Inhailer Radio “513 Airwaves” show on Fountain Square
Taft has The Ultimate Tribute to the Bee Gees
Memorial Hall has Awaken: the music of Yes
Organized Gentlemen at Harmony Hill Vineyards
“Listening Factory” at Factory 52 features 3 “next gen” writers: Abigail Horan, Dixie Nash, and Kamdyn Metcalf
Moose Miller plays a house concert in Pleasant Ridge. It’s free, but you need to RSVP here.

Moose is a great name, btw! My dad loved telling me baseball stories that involved this Moose:

Let’s also pause for a moment to appreciate the fact that Bob Dylan (age 85), Lucinda Williams (73), and John Doe (also 73) are still doing their thing. Here’s Lu in a Paste Magazine interview talking about the songs on her new album:

It’s just… things are crappy and shitty right now. So, I wrote some songs about it. I have to admit: I do like pushing people’s buttons. I want to wake them up. People need to get mad and say, “Come on, let’s do something!” There’s always some decision you can make—something you can do to make a difference.

Amen, sister!

Shows on Saturday, July 11:

Muse at Riverbend
Hot Magnolias headline the free show on Fountain Square
Sabbath Knights (featuring Vinny Appice) play Sabbath and Dio at the old Annie’s
The Filthy Heathens and The Damn Shames at the Liberty Theatre in Lawrenceburg, IN

The band name Filthy Heathens conjures up some Sanford & Son memories too!

Follow the flaming arrow to the Rose Music Center on Sunday, July 12 to catch Ted Nugent. But you’d better bring some Wang Dang Sweet… Dorothy Lane Market Killer Brownies?

Tuesday, July 14 might have you on the horns of an indie rock dilemma:

Death Cab for Cutie plays the Ovation with Jay Som as the opener
The Strokes play Riverbend

(I chose Horn #1: I’ll be at the Death Cab/Jay Som show.)

The Funky Ducks continue their run of shows with other animal bands, playing Stanley’s Pub with Interprid Cat on Wednesday, July 15.

Shows on Thursday, July 16:

Lyle Lovett and his Small Large Band are at the Taft (Lyle certainly can have an oxymoronic Small Large Band if our country can have an oxymoronic/moronic Department of Government Efficiency)
Sun Kil Moon plays Ludlow Garage
Memorial Hall hosts Back to Black, the music of Amy Winehouse
The Turkeys play the Behringer-Crawford Museum freebie
The Rose Music Center has a “Wow, they’re still together?” quadruple bill with Jefferson Starship, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall, and Orleans
Save your cash and head to the Levitt Pavilion free show in downtown Dayton for some killer blues from Larry McCray – he’s from Magnolia, Arkansas

Arkansas fun facts from a kid who grew up there (and rarely uses “Arkansas” and “fun” in the same phrase)

Magnolia, Arkansas is the home of Southern Arkansas University, whose mascot is the Muleriders.

They’re in the same conference as the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Their mascot is the Boll Weevils.

Next month: the Arkansas Tech University nickname for both the men’s and women’s athletic teams.

Plenty of shows on Friday, July 17 as well:

Trampled by Turtles at the Rose
Eddie 9V and Johnny Mullinax play a free show at RiversEdge
Ludlow Garage has Richie Furay
Levitt Pavilion features the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band(J2B2)
Vince Gill plays the Taft
Victor Jones tops the Inhailer Fountain Square bill, with Dearest and Horsesitter
Matthew Shelton has an album release show at the Woodward
Wilco plays an outdoor show at the Burl in Lexington

On Saturday, July 18, Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets play Memorial Hall. I’ll be at that show with list members Dan “Reds in 2027!” Lewis and Bruce F.

That same evening, Benson Boone will backflip his way into the Coliseum. And Bogarts has Smells like Nirvana… which is either a tribute band or a musty flannel shirt.

Gigs on Sunday, July 19:

John Mellencamp brings his Greatest Hits tour to Riverbend
The Fabulous Thunderbirds play Ludlow Garage
Young Heirlooms and Weedbloom play Westwood Town Hall
Harry Connick Jr. croons at the Fraze Pavilion
Pablo Cruise cruises into Memorial Hall

If you go to the Pablo Cruise show, be sure to get the t-shirt!

On Tuesday, July 21, Sarah McLaughlin plays the PNC Pavilion with Allison Russell, and Jason Newstead & the Chophouse Band are at Southgate.

On Wednesday, July 22, the Woodward Theater hosts “Korean rock girl band” Rolling Quartz. Here’s their promo photo:

Looks like a mashup of the Village People and one of those local theater murder mystery shows.

David Shaw’s Big River Get Down kicks off on Thursday, July 23 and runs through Saturday, July 25. Headliners include David’s band The Revivalists (Saturday) as well as Band Of Horses and JJ Grey & Mofro (Friday). Full lineup is here.

Other shows on Thursday the 23rd include Brit Floyd at PNC Pavilion, Keiko Matsui at Ludlow Garage, and Bleed the Freak (Alice in Chains tribute band) at the Woodward.

Friday, July 24:

Brit Floyd rolls up the road to the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights
Liberty Theater has Baywater Call with the Austin Tyler Lee Band
The Filthy Heathens are back (don’t tell Aunt Esther!) opening for Them Dirty Roses at the old Annie’s

Shows on Saturday, July 25:

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play the Rose Music Center. My lovely bride and I will be there, much to the dismay of our oldest son…
The Collies (the band that our oldest son plays in) will be at Anderson Township Pub
Sungaze plays the Liberty Theatre with opener Phanta
Stewart Copeland is at the Ludlow Garage. But I don’t think he’ll be pounding the skins. It’s a spoken word tour called “Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood and Other Adventures”

Anne Bangert, Chris Damele, and Tim Brownlee play Northside Tavern on Sunday, July 26.

On Tuesday, July 28, The Magic Tuber Stringband plays the Woodward Theater with Mavis Guitar (feat. Travis from Wussy) as the opener. I miss the magic tubers of my youth.

That same evening:

Hilary Duff plays a sold-out show at Riverbend – don’t ask me why it’s sold out, I have no idea. Is she a TikTok thing now?
Graham Nash plays the Madison Theater… oh wait, no he doesn’t. The Madison Theater was abruptly shuttered a couple of weeks ago. But there’s some hope that it may reopen under new management.

In the interim, refunds are being issued for all shows.

On Wednesday, July 29:

Train, Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson play Riverbend
Nektar plays Ludlow Garage
Shallow Side, 3 Years Hollow, Trackside and Gravel Switch rock the old Annie’s
TyeDye Band does their monthly Final Wednesday show at Wunderbar in Covington

Pure Prairie League is at Ludlow Garage on Thursday, July 30.

“Pure Prairie League” also would be a great name for the official fan club for this show:

And the month wraps up with these Friday, July 31 gigs:

Adam Wayne Gilliam Band with Van Winkle and Jeremy Gilliam of Grand Dorado at the Liberty Theatre
Marshmello DJs a postgame show at Great American Ball Park

Let’s sneak a peek into August, shall we? On Saturday, August 1:

The Levitt Pavilion has a free Rock Fest and the headliner is Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys
Chris Stapleton plays Paul Brown Stadium
Yonder Mountain String Band and East Nash Grass are at the old Annie’s
Evanescence plays Riverbend
Ludlow Garage has “Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience” (Neverland sleepovers sold separately)

We love it live!

Robyn Hitchcock with a full band (other than the encore when he went through the crowd strumming his acoustic guitar and leading us all in a rousing “Waterloo Sunset” singalong) was tons of fun at Southgate. (It was especially cool to see Lisa from Wussy in the audience joining the singalong.) Robyn’s wife Emma Swift opened and joined him and the band on a few tunes too.

Tommy Stinson didn’t draw much of a crowd at the Woodward on a Tuesday, but he rocked the house (along with Karla Rose and Tim Schweiger & the Middlemen).

The dude’s a pro’s pro (he’s only been playing live for about 46 of his 59 years) and a good time was had by all – none more so than list member Dave Lenehan’s son Paul (named after Tommy’s Replacements pal Paul Westerberg):

I was back at the Woodward a night later, to see James McMurtry and his band, along with Bettie Soo. Hat tip to Jon Calderas for the ticket – you can see Jon’s photos of the show for CincyMusic here.

The Cereal Killers gig at Big Ash was a blast! They’re a real-life version of a 97X playlist (only hairier).

Speaking of long list radio stations, the 97X “Back to the Future of Rock and Roll” fundraiser for the Butler County Historical Society this past Saturday was a home run. It’s truly heartwarming to hear folks talk about what that station meant to them. And it’s always a treat to see some of the ol’ 97X gang.

(Jen Dalton and I were the eye candy, obvi.)

Shout out to John Kiesewetter for the nice article on WVXU’s website, as well as Eric Schwartzberg for his piece in the Journal-News, and of course Jen Dalton (former 97X student co-producer) for interviewing Bake and helping us class up the event.

We have fewer places to love it live

In addition to the aforementioned Madison Theater shutdown, Dayton’s Yellow Cab Tavern announced that they’ll be closing their doors for good on October 31.

New tunes Monday

The Tubs, my favorite Welsh performers (apologies to Tom Jones) have signed with Merge Records, the label co-founded by Mac and Laura from Superchunk. It’s a match made in indie rock heaven. (And I’ve known about it since I saw The Tubs in Detroit last September and happened to be wearing my Merge Records t-shirt – Tubs drummer Taylor mentioned they’d just signed with them.) Now The Tubs have a new single out, with a tour in the offing for the fall. (Looks like I’ll be roadtripping to Cleveland again.)

Finding their way (without Neil)

From all reports (including here and here) Rush is crushing it on their new tour, with new drummer Anika Nilles more than holding her own in a very unenviable role.

I’m excited to see Anika with Geddy and Alex. And she’s excited to be playing with them — not just because they’re rock gods but also because of this:

Mailbag

I’m very tardy with this response about first concerts from list member Todd Butler:

First concert is a great icebreaker for any group including this one. I think I was 7-8 when my sister took me to a triple bill at Blossom Music Center 1974-5?

John Sebastian of Welcome Back Kotter fame
Firefall
Seals & Crofts (“Summer breeze“)

Firefall softrocked and I was hooked on live music from then on!

Maybe The Beths will do a cover of Firefall’s “You are the Woman” when we’re at the show tomorrow night, Todd!

Album Covers of the Month

Hey kid, be careful if he asks to “play your kazoo.”

The Royal Palace Beefeaters have gotten really lax with their dress code. .

These dudes all went to the same barber and said “Give me the Wolfman Jack.”

Sizzlin’ Summer Shows

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, podcast

OMG, it’s Summer’s Eve!

Speaking of douches, how about that taxpayer-funded $45 million BD party for the Mango Mussolini?

OK, political rant over (maybe).

Just remember, the best way to combat that “not-so-fresh feeling” is to see some live music.

Tonight:

The Allman-Betts Band plays the old Annie’s
the Marsha Brady hosts Dispatch with John Butler and G. Love & Special Sauce + Donavon Frankenreiter
Emily Nenni and William Matheny will be at Southgate House

Queens of the Stone Age play a sold-out show at the Jan Brady on Wednesday.

Speaking of Queens of the Stone Age:

Gigs on Thursday:

The String Cheese Incident at the Cindy Brady
North Mississippi Allstars at Ludlow Garage
Sean Geil of the Tillers hosts the Farm Jam at Lost Bridge Beverage Co.
Murder by Death: The Farewell Tour 2025 with Laura Jane Grace at Southgate
Genesis Retouched: The Essence of the Phil Collins Era of Genesis at RiversEDGE
Megan Bee and Ma Crow & Company at Washington Park (free)
The Red NOT Chili Peppers play the Madison Theater

Shows on Friday:

James Arthur plays the Greg Brady
Robbie Fulks headlines the FREE show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
Sungaze and Horsehell are at the Liberty Theater
Garrett T. Capps and Nasa Country, Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band, and Styrofoam Winos play the Southgate (in advance of their Nelsonville sets)
Ally Venable plays Ludlow Garage
Dexter & the Moonrocks play the Ovation
MadTree Oakley has a summer solstice party with Jess Lamb, Siri Imani, Abby Vice, Aunty JoJo and KY Honey

Also, on Friday, the Nelsonville Music Festival kicks off with MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee, Dehd and The Bug Club topping that day’s lineup. I’ll be there, as will list members Matt & Pam (not to be confused with Matt & Kim).

Oh, and the kids TV show stars The Wiggles have a show at the Rose Music Center in Dayton, but they really should be ashamed of and/or arrested for the show’s title:

Does Chris Hanson know about this?

Saturday is the first day of summer!

It’s also the longest day of the year. Perhaps not coincidentally, it’s my wedding anniversary! My lovely bride of (nearly) 28 years plans to join me at the Nelsonville Music Festival to:

a. see a bunch of bands she’s never heard of (Styrofoam Winos, Low Cut Connie, Esther Rose, Watchhouse, Being Dead, Bonnie Prince Billy, Charley Crockett and Black Lips) and

b. celebrate setting a new Guinness record for “most years married to a ne’er-do-well who spends most of his free time going to concerts and writing a really weird music blog.” (The Guinness folks are getting reeeeeally specific these days, and it’s a bit hurtful, tbh. They should stick to categories like “World’s Heaviest Twins”)

Also on Saturday, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit kick off a two-night “Evening with” stand at the Peter Brady. (It should be noted that the McCreary brothers never called what they were wearing an “outfit.”)

Other Saturday shows:

The Gaslight Anthem at Bogart’s
Say She She plays a show that’s free-free at Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
Taj Mahal is at the Ludlow Garage as a tune-up for his Nelsonville gig the next day
The Little River Band plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
the Daniel Wayne Band headlines a show in Southgate’s Lounge
Tracy Walker plays a 5pm freebie at Smale’s Castellini Esplanade
Covington Metal Fest at Madison Live (bring 2 sets of earplugs)

On Sunday, the Outlaw Music Festival rolls into Riverbend, with Willie Nelson, ~~Timothée Chalamet~~ Bob Dylan, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, and Myron Elkins.

That same evening, Jason Isbell plays Night #2 at the Bobby Brady. Southgate House has the California Guitar Trio and Kaki King, Nelsonville has The War & Treaty and Taj Mahal on tap, and Band of Horses plays an outdoor show at The Burl in Lexington.

Sweet Baby James Taylor plays Riverbend on Monday, 6/23, and the Rose in Dayton hosts “I want my 80s” tour featuring Rick Springfield, John Waite, Wang Chung, and Paul Young.

Get yer energy domes out on Tuesday, June 24 for Devo at the Carol Brady. (I’ll be there!)

Come to think of it, Carol Brady did have a bit of a Devo “hair helmet” vibe going on back in the day:

Other shows that evening:

Less than Jake at Bogart’s
The Mission UK with Poppy Jean Crawford at Ludlow Garage
The “I want my 80s” tour plays Riverbend. Which means if you are really ambitious, you can Wang Chung tonight for two nights in a row!

Double the Wang, Double the Chung, Double the Fun! (Er, let me modify the start of that last sentence… lest Chris Hanson pay me a visit.)

Did you know the 20th Century Theater in Oakley still has the occasional show? Neither did I, which is why we both missed out on getting tickets to see Fred Armisen’s sold-out “Comedy is for Musicians but Everyone is Welcome” show there on Wednesday, June 25.

Gigs on Thursday, June 26:

Billy Corgan and the Machines of God play Bogart’s
Sam Hibbard and the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys play the free Washington Park Roots Revival show
Across the street at Memorial Hall, it’s The Rush Tribute Project (I think it should be called “Out of the Rutsey” or “Closer to the Peart” or “Xana-don’t” of “La Villa Doppelgänger”…)
Way up yonder in Dayton, the Jayne Sachs Band (winner of 97Xposure 1995) plays a reunion show at Brightside (Dave and I talked to Jayne for an episode of the 97X “Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast back in 2021.)
Mr. Nicole Kidman plays Riverbend

Friday, June 27 is bursting at the seams with live music:

Young the Giant and Joywave play the Hard Rock lawn
Mannequin Pussy is at Bogart’s (they might’ve gotten their name from the infamous “Wheel o’ Sex” in Bogart’s backstage office)
Paleface plays a free show in the Southgate Lounge
Bear Hands and OK Cowgirl play Madison Live
Tyler the Creator is at the Coliseum, with Lil Yachty and Paris Texas
The old Annie’s has the AC/DC tribute band Back in Black
The Rose Music Center hosts The Fab Four: USA Meets the Beatles

Saturday, June 28 isn’t too shabby in the concert department either:

Patty Griffin plays Over the Rhine’s Nowhere Else Farm, with OTR doing the opening set (I’ll be at that gig!)
Sinkane and Moonbeau play the Liberty Theater
The Avett Brothers are at the Fraze
Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion hosts the Dayton Blues Fest

The Sun Ra Arkestra plays Memorial Hall on Tuesday, July 1.

Shows on Wednesday, July 2:

Manchester Orchestra at the Burl in Lexington
Greensky Bluegrass at the Rose
Ween Wednesday at the Columbia in the East End 6-10pm). They’ll be spinning White Pepper. BYOB. I was there last month, as was the legendary Billy Alletzhauser (Ass Ponys, Ruby Vileos, The Hiders) and the equally legendary Taylor Fox of Inhailer Radio. It’s a cool hang – stop by!

Ass Ponys sighting… OK, hearing

A recent episode of the Sound Opinions podcast (hosted by longtime Chicago music writers Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis) is about “Regrettable Band Names.” Jim talks quite a bit about the Ass Ponys (any publicity is good publicity, right?), and Greg calls Wussy a great band. (The segment starts around the 34:50 mark.)

Bootsy!

Tune in here. Or see Bootsy’s outfit when you watch it here. Bootsy always stays on the one.

We love it live!

Well, I missed the American Aquarium show (it was a lazy Sunday…) but I hear it was great. I did, however, catch Blonde Redhead and Squirrel Flower at the Woodward with list member Ken “Lobby Boy” Laube (also of Inhailer Radio fame – Fridays 11a-3p).

We mourn the dead

R.I.P. to Brian Wilson and Sly Stone.

“Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music. His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable.” (from his family’s statement)

We’re not getting any younger either!

Shirley’s had BOTH hips replaced. She’s still hip, though. Check out her interview on the Broken Record podcast here.

My angel former co-worker is a centerfold

List member Dale Doyle (the OG D2) was on The Tonight Show – Jimmy Fallon shows off the artwork Dale created for Matt Berninger’s new album, including a quick peek at the centerfold at the end of this clip:

The Reading Room

The Oxford American has a lovely “on the road with…” profile of Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee. Katie’s twin sister Allison (Swearin’) is also part of the story as Katie’s A&R rep for Anti- Records, and in an interesting bit of sibling symmetry, the feature was written by Jenn Pelly, whose twin sister Liz wrote the book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. (Highly recommended.)

The “We can’t read” Room

That’s the album title, not a song title. Nice try, AI! Article is here.

What a lineup!

There’s only one possible reaction to that bill…

Details are here. Wish me luck convincing my wife that I need to go. Or better yet, buy my ticket.

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

E, L, and P are clearly trying to steal Jay Ferguson’s Thunder, but they don’t have the proper footwear:

Remember, when you have a hankering for falling down laughing in the wet grass, or nights in the cool sand, accept no substitute… ask for Jay Ferguson by name!

June’s tunes

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

It’s June!

June is chock-full o’ live tunes. And that’s no jive!

Let’s get into it.

Tonight, American Aquarium plays the Southgate, with Justin Wells as the opener. I’ll be at that gig.

Eric Johanson is at Ludlow Garage… not Eric Johnson as listed in my last post. Can’t believe I confused those two guitarists… it’s like that time I called Jim Hagar Jon Hagar at the Hee Haw convention.

On Tuesday, Alison Krauss & Union Station (featuring Jerry Douglas) will be at the PNC Pavilion.

This Wednesday is WEENsday at The Columbia (4311 Eastern Avenue). They’ll be spinning The Mollusk and it’s BYOB. But they supply crayons.

Wednesday shows include Kids that Fly and Belle Blue at the Woodward, and CFG & Family at the Fountain Square “Fountain Blues” free series. (The full summer lineup is here.)

Thursday:

Brent Cobb plays Southgate, with Chloe Kimes opening
Los Lonely Boys are at Ludlow Garage
Ray Vietti & Jeremy Short play the freebie “Roots Revival” show at Washington Park (6-9 p.m.) The full series lineup is here.
The Liberty Theater has a free Songwriters in the Round with Andrew Hibbard, Anthony Ray Wright and Emilie Clepper
The Turkeys play a free show at the Behringer Crawford Museum in Devou Park

There are a slew o’ shows this Friday:

Blonde Redhead plays the Woodward with Squirrel Flower
The Secret Sisters are at Memorial Hall
Clay Street Unit and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes play a free show at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
Jake Speed & the Freddies play a freebie at Sawyer Point
The Levitt Pavilion in Dayton has a freebie show with the REO Classics Band (featuring Terry Luttrell, the original lead singer for REO Speedwagon)
Ludlow Garage features a Van Morrison tribute show (not a Jim Morrison tribute show… )

Please note: Friday is June 6th… during the dark of the moon, anyone over the age of 60 is required to fire up their CB radio and alert Rubber Duck and Pigpen about any police presence.

On Saturday, the Ludlow Garage has the Hot Red Chili Peppers… NOT the Red Hot Chili Peppers (or the Red Hot Chili Pipers)

Other Saturday shows:

Teddy Swims plays the outdoor stage at the Marsha Brady
My Brother’s Keeper has an album release show at the Liberty Theater
Joe’s Truck Stop, The Local Honeys, The Montvales and several other bands play the “Gemini Jam” at Southgate
Soul Pocket plays the Fountain Square freebie gig
Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat are at the Fraze
The Levitt hosts the Dayton Pride Afterparty featuring Molly Grace

Also, on Saturday and Sunday, the Woodward Theater screens Pavements, the weird and wild movie about Pavement.

Oh, and Saturday also is the grand opening of Jukebox in the Deerfield Towne Center.

Jukebox is America’s first custom sparkling beverage studio, where creativity meets refreshment. We mix premium ingredients, fresh flavors, and endless customization options to craft beverages that are as unique as you.

The dude behind Jukebox is list member Jay Scherger, who left his gig in corporate America to add more flavor to your life with a “quirky cocktail bar without the cocktails.” Read more in Cincinnati Magazine and and CityBeat. Check it out… you may hear a familiar voice doing some promo breaks between songs on the in-house sound system.

On Sunday, Avril Lavigne plays her Greatest Hits tour with Simple Plan and We The Kings supporting, Valley Maker is at MOTR, and David Spade does standup at the Taft.

On Tuesday, June 10:

Barenaked Ladies, Guster, and Fastball play the PNC Pavilion
Buddy Guy plays the Taft with Eric Gales opening
Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ are at the Rose in Dayton

Shows on Wednesday, June 11:

Counting Crows and Gaslight Anthem at the Fraze
Honey Island Swamp Band at the Ludlow Garage
Leroy Ellington plays the Fountain Square freebie

Thursday, June 12:

Mt. Joy plays the outdoor stage at the Ovation in Newport
Sunny Sweeney and Cam Pierce are at Southgate
The Lost Bridge Beverage Co. in North Bend hosts the 2nd Thursday live broadcast of BlackFork Radio
Ludlow Garage has Close Enemies, featuring Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton
Washington Park has another Roots Revival show… performers are TBD (that’s not a band…)
Travis Tritt plays the old Annie’s

Friday, June 13 has a full slate:

Band of Horses plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
The Dave Matthews Band will make their annual stop at Riverbend
Motherfolk and Moonbeau play the Woodward
Augustana is at Ludlow Garage
Thee Sinseers and The Altons (retro soul/R&B) play a free concert at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
Kyle Eldridge & the Kentucky Cowhands play the freebie at the Levitt in Dayton

On Saturday, June 14, an enterprising young band called The Collies plays the back patio at the Anderson Township Pub from 7-10 p.m. I’ve heard their music (mostly rock covers, with a few originals) many, many times… because they practice in my son Gabriel’s room. (He’s the drummer.)

Stop by and check ’em out. I’ll buy you a beer.

Then tell your friends, because right now my retirement plan consists of hoping The Collies make it big.

Other shows on 6/14:

Tab Benoit plays the Taft
Buddy Guy is at the Rose
Houndmouth will be at the Ovation
Coastal Club, Mosant, and Deaf Andrews are at the Madison Theater
Boney James plays Ludlow Garage

On Sunday, June 15:

The Wallflowers play Bogart’s
Laurelview Ramblers are at the Lost Bridge Beverage Co.
Lynyrd Skynyrd (featuring ZERO original members) plays the Rose

We love it live!

The bad news: Wild Pink was a late scratch from the IndieCraft festival lineup in Springfield, Ohio.

The good news: No dogs or cats were eaten during the festival.

The better news: Aaron Lee Tasjan did two sets to cover for Wild Pink, and Snarls absolutely crushed it during their outdoor set.

Thanks to a ticket from Ken “The Lobby Boy” Laube (catch him on Inhailer Radio Fridays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.) I caught Night 2 of The Magnetic Fields doing 69 Love Songs at Memorial Hall. I’m pretty sure it’s the first show I’ve seen where all the band members were seated, but the set was stellar.

The Cereal Killers killed it at Big Ash Brewing. It was great to see so many list members in attendance for that gig: Whit, Barb, Dan R., Dan B., Mike, John, Dave, Phil, Aron… A great evening of music – here’s hoping for another CK gig soon!

It was great hanging out with the Inhailer Radio crew (and list members Amy, Ken, and David) at Hi-Wire Brewing on Memorial Day during their Indie 500 countdown.

This past Wednesday, I went up to Cleveland to catch The Tubs opening up for The Wedding Present at The Grog Shop. I’m so glad I made the long drive – both bands were outstanding!

Hot ticket alert

Emma Swift is playing an Undertow show in Cincinnati on Tuesday, August 5th. You can get your tickets here. I can neither CONFIRM nor deny that the venue will be The Columbia (home of WEENsdays).

At least one D2 has talent!

Congrats to list member Dale Doyle (the OG D2) for his fantastic design work on Matt Berninger’s new solo album, which came out Friday.

At least one (former) Foo Fighter has a sense of humor

Josh Freese was relieved of his drummer duties, but he seems to be taking it in stride. Here’s his IG post from the next day:

Take me to the RiversEDGE… and you’ll Levitt in Dayton

Hamilton’s free summer concert lineup is below. And the outdoor stage is just ~~a stone’s throw~~ an empty beer can’s throw from Municipal Brew Works too!

And here’s the lineup for the free concerts at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton – highlights include Chuck Prophet, Robbie Fulks, Carlene Carter, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Say She She, Eilen Jewel, and Sinkane. You can BYOB (cans) too!

Out with the old (music), in with the new

Music historian Ted Gioia talks about the challenges of today’s music biz (accent on the “biz” part) in The Atlantic:

But there’s hope for the future:

The full article is here.

Punk’s not dead, it just moved to Tennessee

Article is here.

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

Glenn is trying to hoodwink us. That woman doesn’t want to “share his life” – she has been abducted by Glenn and taken out to international waters.

The Devil IS real, and his name is Glenn Yarbrough, the kidnapper.

No Bummer Summer

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, podcast

We have so much for be grateful for this summer, especially if our cars don’t have vinyl seats.

Let’s peel our butts off our chairs and head to some concerts, shall we?

Tuesday:

Band of Horses plays Bogart’s (I’ll be there with list members Deuce and Matt V.). Maybe I’ll run into BoH drummer Creighton again like I did outside the Ryman in Nashville in 2013.

Former Tom Petty Heartbreaker Mike Campbell and his band The Dirty Knobs play the Taft
Old Crow Medicine Show is at the Rose in Dayton, with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway also on the bill

Norah Jones plays the Rose on Wednesday.

Thursday gigs:

The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and The Tillers play Memorial Hall
Sungaze and Sylmar will be “Rockin’ the Roebling” at Smale Park
Blueswoman Lauren Anderson plays a free show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
The Artimus Pyle Band (“honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd”) plays Ludlow Garage

Whoops, wrong Pyle.

On Friday, Arlo McKinley will headline the “Indie Friday” free show at Fountain Square. And Tye Dye Band (featuring list member John Sandman) will play Carriage House Farms.

Other Friday night gigs:

Riverbend hosts a tribute to Planes, Trains and Automobiles…

OK, actually it’s Boats (Yacht Rock Revue), Train (the band) and Automobiles (REO Speedwagon).

Old Crow Medicine Show will be roosting at the Cindy Brady, with the Del McCoury Band – Tiger better behave himself!

Whiskey Myers plays the Rose, with Whitey Morgan & the 78s and Reid Houghton
The Samples play Ludlow Garage

Whoops, wrong Samples. Wrong band too!

On Saturday, there are two festivals of note(s):

Or you can head to the Madison Theater to catch Genesis ReTouched – a Cincy band that claims “our live shows capture the aural and visual essence of Genesis between the mid 80’s and late 2000’s.” So go to the (Tony) Banks to get money for tickets, then treat yourself to a Tom Collins at the show while the ersatz Phil Collins steps up to the Mike (Rutherford). Gotta be better than the other Genesis gig in the area:

Next Sunday (7/14):

Lake Street Dive plays the Bobby Brady, with The Lemon Twigs as the opener
Southgate House hosts The Good People Festival, a benefit for the Incubator Kitchen Collective. Featured acts include: The Local Honeys, Maria Carrelli, Ben Knight & David Faul, Stephen J Williams & The 1865, Ray Vietti, Tinfoil Hat Cowboys, Chelsea Ford, and Adam Lee

And Ludlow Garage has the “We Love Zappa” tour:

On Monday, 7/15, Hurray for the Riff Raff will play the Woodward, with Hannah Frances. I’ll be there… mostly because I’m riffraff, but also because the last H4TRR show at the Woodward gave me all the feels.

Musiq Soulchild kicks off a three-night residency at the Ludlow Garage on Tuesday, 7/16.

On Wednesday, 7/17, The Tillers play a free show at the Delhi Park Pavilion, and The SunBurners do the freebie at Burnet Woods. Both shows start at 7 p.m. (although Delhi is so far west that it might be on Central Time).

Jon Spencer plays MOTR on Thursday, 7/18, with IdleAires opening the 8 p.m. show, which, in a concession to the average age of Jon Spencer fans, will offer some seated tickets.

That evening (7/18) also features an overwhelming slate of free shows:

Erin Coburn plays Smale
Carriers play Washington Park
Buffalo Nichols (blues) at Levitt in Dayton
RiversEDGE in Hamilton has Foreigner’s Journey with Draven & the Ravens
Lawrenceburg Civic Park hosts Gone 2 Paradise: the Ultimate Jimmy Buffett Tribute
Fairfield Village Green features The Eagles Project
Marsha Brady (the band) plays ~~the Marsha Brady~~ Ault Park

On Friday, 7/19, Aaron Lee Tasjan headlines the Indie Friday show at Fountain Square. I’ll be there, and you should go too!

“My most effective tool in sharing my music and live performances with new listeners is word of mouth, and you can do so much to support me when you invite people into this lovely little world we’ve built and continue to build.”
Aaron Lee Tasjan

That same evening:

Torres plays the Woodward
moe. plays the Rose in Dayton, with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire play Riverbend
Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience will play for free at Levitt in Dayton
Ludlow Garage has Adrenalize: the Ultimate Def Leppard Experience
If you want to catch the band X on their farewell tour, they’ll be at their closest stop to the Tri-state: The Vogue in Indy. Here’s a tune from their new album, out 8/2:

Acoustic Alchemy plays the Ludlow Garage on Saturday, 7/20, and Rick Springfield and Richard Marx play the Fraze in Dayton.

That ageless cat Al Stewart plays Ludlow Garage on Sunday, 7/21 and MOTR hosts Thelma & The Sleaze.

Monday, 7/22, PNC Pavilion hosts Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, with blues stars Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward and Jackie Venson on the bill. (In case you were wondering, “S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram that stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance.” And now you know. Quiz next week.)

The Best Sibling Duo from Dayton ain’t the Wright Brothers

Orville and Wilbur are no match for Kim and Kelley Deal. A Breeders show at the Henry Miller Library near Big Sur got rained out last fall, so they played an impromptu stripped-down gig among the redwoods. Gorgeous!

It’s always a treat to feel the Heat

The Reverend Horton Heat put on a spectacular (free) show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton on 6/22 (wrapping up their encore with a killer version of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.”) List members Dave Tellmann, El Blanco, Michael T. and I were there, along with list member Gene “The Photo Machine” Dow, who snapped these stellar shots:

You can check out more of Gene’s photos from the show here, and view more from his portfolio here. Gene’s available for weddings, senior photos, and general lifestyle photography, yet he refused to do a bit of boudoir photography for me. I can’t imagine why not.

Valley Heat is a treat too!

I know I’ve sung the praises of the Valley Heat podcast before. It’s the aural equivalent of Fernwood 2 Night meets Arrested Development. Hilarious. In the clip below, the host Doug sings the praises of the lowly 8-track, while also pointing out the challenges of playing an LP … and taking a few spot-on shots at vinyl snobs.

I missed the hottest heat

List member Mighty Joe Sampson pointed out a glaring omission from last week’s heat-related visuals:

Jesse is a friend, with some really cool friends

In December, Jesse Malin will be back on stage for the first time since his spinal stroke in May of ’23. And he has an all-star cast joining him for two benefit shows (read more on Relix). The first gig on 12/1 sold out quickly; the 12/2 show still has a few tickets left.

Life imitates Art (but not Art Garfunkel)

Album Cover of the Week(s) – Retail Nostalgia Edition

Why yes, that is Bonnie Raitt’s dad John Raitt in the middle… and yes, that’s a Record Theatre 4.99 sticker too!

This band is as-advertised… they look pretty plain to me. And yes, that’s a Swallen’s sticker! Maybe this album was free with the purchase of any white appliance.

The fruits of my Labor (Day)

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Summer’s gone a summer song
You’ve wasted every day, every day
Summer’s gone, can’t wipe it off my hands
Write it in the sand, in the sand
Buffalo Tom “Summer“

Wow, hard to believe that Labor Day is fast approaching. Better wear my white jorts every day this week before I switch over to my fall jorts:

Let’s cover two weeks’ worth o’ gigs in this post, shall we?

Breaking Naming Rights News

Sorry to interrupt our slate o’ shows, but we’ve just been informed that the PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation in Newport, Kentucky has sold the naming rights, and is now… drumroll please…

Uh, no… just no. In keeping with the cherished This Week in Live Music tradition, we refuse to refer to venues by their corporate-sponsored names. Especially when that name sounds like something from Office Space or Stepbrothers.

Tonight, Sophie B. Hawkins (remember her? She wished she were your lover) headlines the Fountain Square freebie, with Tracy Walker and Kaitlyn Peace also on the bill. Other shows include Tiffany Williams and Ray Vietti at Southgate, and The Fab Four (“the Ultimate Beatles Tribute”) at Rose Music Center in scenic Huber Heights.

Sunday, Imagine Dragons, Macklemore and Kings Elliot play a sold-out show at Riverbend, The Damned are at Bogart’s, and the Disco Biscuits play Annie’s.

Monday is the rescheduled date for the Barenaked Ladies/Gin Blossoms/Toad the Wet Sprocket show at PNC.

On Wednesday, Linda Gail Lewis is at Southgate.

Thursday, Spoon, Interpol, and Water From Your Eyes are at the Brady Kids Center. (Remember when Alice worked at The Golden Spoon?)

https://youtu.be/Bg1pl2muWIA

Also on Thursday, RiversEDGE in Hamilton has a Prince Tribute show, with local band Moonbeau as the opener.

Next Friday, Sept. 2nd, the Fountain Square freebie features Motherfolk, with The Wonderlands, and Coastal Club.

The Black Keys and Band of Horses are at Riverbend next Saturday.

On Labor Day, Jack Harlow and City Girls play the Cindy Brady.

Tuesday, Sept. 6th, Thundercat is at the Ovation. Yes, I said the Ovation. Mega-sue me!

On Wednesday, Sept. 7th:

S.G. Goodman (a TWILM fave) and Garcia Peoples are at Southgate.
“due to overwhelming demand” the Odesza, Sylvan Esso, Elderbrook and Nasaya show originally slated for outdoors at the Jan Brady will now be at Riverbend.
Ben Levin plays Ghost Baby.

Next Thursday (9/8):

Paul Thorn and Angela Perley are at Memorial Hall
Oteil Burbridge and Friends (feat. Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno and Johnny Kimock) play the Rose
Magic City Hippies play the Madison Rooftop in Covington.

On Friday, September 9th:

The Mountain Goats play Bogart’s.
Donna the Buffalo is at Ludlow Garage
Sam Hunt and Travis Denning are at the Mike Brady.

The Cereal Killers play Big Ash on Saturday, September 10th. I’ll be out of town for that show, but YOU should be there.

Built to Spill, built to rock!

Great show from BTS this past Monday at the Woodward – and opener Prism Bitch was cool too. Speaking o’ cool, list member Todd Butler busted out a vintage, mint condition 97X t-shirt for the gig.

Prism Bitch. (Why yes, that is the same drummer – she did double duty.)

You may already be a winner

List member Elizabeth Cannon (who worked at Riverbend for eons) was rewarded for her Bengals season ticket status.

Wussy duo wants to play your house (or mine)

Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker from Wussy are doing a run of house concerts this fall, and are looking for a Cincy host on Friday, October 28th.

You can volunteer here.

Album Cover of the Week

Have a great Labor Day!